Land of the Twili
by Star-Speckled Dragon
Summary: Ever since the defeat of Zant and Ganondorf, Hyrule has been at peace. But when the sudden appearance of shadow beasts begins to threaten that peace, Link must find a way back to the Twilight Realm to learn why the attacks are taking place, and stop them.
1. Memories

Hello there and welcome to my new fanfic, Land of the Twili! This was somewhat inspired by MoonDrake's story _Wolf Curse_, so you will probably find a few similarities between the two if you've read it. Obviously, it's like a sequel to the game Twilight Princess, although it will occasionally reference the events of Ocarina of Time.

I'm not going to be doing couples in this one. It's not a romance, so there isn't really much of a point in bothering...

Well, that should be about it for the author notes. On with the story, I hope you enjoy it!

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**Chapter One: Memories**

_Sunset in Ordon Village… They say it's one of the most beautiful, peaceful scenes in all of Hyrule…_

Link chuckled to himself as he thought over this statement. True, the small goat ranch with only the soft sound of bleating to break the stillness, accompanied by the bright colors that dappled the sky overhead, had a wonderfully soothing effect on the troubled mind. Still, for him, the best part of the day came just after sunset – at twilight.

"Hey Link, you mind giving me a hand over here?" Fado called, snapping the young man out of his reverie. The two were within the ranch with Epona, and Link was supposed to be bringing the goats in for the night.

"Oh! Right," the stablehand replied with a sheepish smile, vaulting onto his horse's back. _Why do I have to keep zoning out like that at night?_ he mentally chided himself. _That was two years ago, and Hyrule's been at peace ever since! You'd think I would have gotten over it by now, with everything back to normal._

He knew that wasn't true, of course. He knew that there was something special about him, and princess Zelda, and that cutthroat Ganondorf – that they had some sort of divine power that destined them all to play major parts in the everlasting battle between good and evil. He wasn't sure what exactly Ganondorf's story was, but apparently he and Zelda were some sort of reincarnations of past selves who had received the power centuries ago. _Hmm… Maybe I'll ask Zelda about that story next time I see her,_ he considered. _If anyone knows about ancient legends, it's her._

It didn't take Link long to herd the goats into their stable. As the last of the beasts was locked into its stall, the sun disappeared beneath the earth and Hyrule was bathed in only a soft glow. Fado grinned. "Looks like you finished up just in time," he commented. "There goes the daylight."

Link replied with a wan smile, but on the inside his emotions were reeling. Twilight always thrilled him with a resurgence of vivid memories, but at the same time it saddened him. He missed his old friend Midna, and often wondered why she had thought it necessary to destroy the Mirror of Twilight, the only connection between their two worlds.

Fado looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, we're going to be bringing some goat milk into town for market soon. Want to come?" he offered. "I know you like visiting the princess."

Link nodded. "That sounds good. You know I'm always up for a trip," he replied. With that, he dismounted Epona and began preparing her for bed as well, while the elder ranch owner began to lock up for the night.

Finally, it was time to head home. Link strolled through Ordon Village, waving and calling good-nights to the friends and neighbors he had grown up with. Soon, he reached the foot of the ladder leading to his small house and began to climb up.

About halfway up the ladder, Link paused. Something wasn't right, though he couldn't quite catch what it was. He strained his ears, listening for anything unusual. There – a soft whooshing sound, somehow different from wind, was coming from a ways behind him, near the middle of the village. He turned to see if he could catch a glimpse of whatever was making that sound.

Whatever he had been expecting, this definitely wasn't it. Link watched in disbelief as a black portal opened just above the trees. An instant later, large dark things fell through the strange portal onto the ground below. At the same moment, a terrified scream from Beth pierced through the night air. Link knew that this could only mean one thing.

_Shadow Beasts!

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_

Hmm, that was shorter than my chapters usually are. Oh well, the next one should be up soon enough -winks- Please review, this is my first Zelda fanfic so I want to know what people think!


	2. Attack!

Heya! Remember how I mentioned that the first chapter was a lot shorter than my chapters usually are? Well, this one is actually _longer_ than they usually are -laughs- Ironic, isn't it?

Anyway, just wanted to mention a couple things about this chapter. First off, don't forget that this story takes place two years after TP, so some of the characters will be noticeably different as they have grown a little older. I'll mention the exact ages I came up with (since the Zelda games never really specify exact ages) in various parts throughout the story, but for now just please don't think that I messed up on character personalities or anything! Also, in the Shadow Beast fights like this one, I decided not to use the whole forcefield-caging-you-in thing. It felt like something that would be too confusing to explain and describe in the story.

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**Chapter Two: Attack!**

There was no time to spare. Link hurried into his one-room house and grabbed his sword and shield, then rushed out and vaulted over the ladder onto the ground below. He stopped for only a second to absorb the shock of the landing before sprinting back into the heart of the village.

The monsters were as hideous as he remembered; three flat-faced, loping shadow beasts that were still congregated beneath the now-fading portal they had entered from. Beth, who had the misfortune of having been in the area where the creatures appeared, now backed away fearfully as the beasts began to advance toward her. Before they could reach her, though, Link dashed into the throng and slashed at the creature closest to her.

The beasts instantly turned on the young man, who had succeeded in injuring his target. Link chose to focus first on this beast, dodging its companions' attacks as he blocked its own blows with his shield, waiting for the next opportunity to strike. After many moments the creature reared back for a heavy attack, and Link took advantage of the opening to cut a deep gash through its chest, killing it.

As the first beast fell, a second armed figure suddenly rushed into the fray. Colin managed to take one of the monsters by surprise by attacking from behind. Struck badly by his sword, it cried out in pain and turned to face him, the third beast turning as well. Colin kept his sword and shield at the ready, and watched the creatures carefully to see what his next move should be.

Link, though impressed by how well the younger swordsman was handling the battle, was starting to get worried. _He doesn't know everything about shadow beasts,_ he thought nervously. _If he strikes now, they'll_ – "Colin, wait!" he cried as the boy raised his weapon again.

The warning came a moment too late, as Colin drove the sword through his target's neck. It fell to the ground with a thud, but this merely acted as a warning signal to the final beast. Immediately, it reared back and gave a ghastly wail that pierced through the village. Colin watched in shock as its fallen companions rose up again, their fatal wounds suddenly closing and their strength returned. The three monsters now split up; one attacking Link with a renewed fury while the other two went for Colin.

"What the heck was that?!" Colin cried as he tried to fend off duel assaults from his adversaries.

Link didn't respond right away, with most of his concentration required to block, dodge and counter blows from his own enemy. After a moment, he started to explain.

"These creatures... They're called – Ugh! – 'Shadow Beasts'. If you leave one of them... alive, it will use its howl to – Watch out! – revive the others... We have to kill the last two at the same time," he managed to sputter between blows.

The younger swordsman nodded in understanding, then suddenly cried out in pain as one of the monsters managed to hit his left arm, cutting it deeply. The blow caused him to falter and lower his guard for a moment, and the second beast took advantage of the vulnerability to rear back for a death blow.

Link let out a yell and dodged around his own opponent to save his friend. Only a split second before the shadow beast pounced on Colin, Link leaped between the two with his blade faced toward it. The monster, unable to divert the momentum of its attack, fell onto the sword. Colin recovered a moment later, and the two swordsmen backed up a few paces to face the wrath of their remaining foes.

"We need a way to kill them both at the same time," Link warned. _If only I could still turn into a wolf and have Midna use an energy field; that was always how we took care of these things before,_ he thought in dismay.

Colin's concerns seemed to be echoing Link's. "So, how are we supposed to take them down at the same time? It's hard enough finding an opening for _one_…"

Link grit his teeth as one of the monsters swiped at him, deflecting the blow with his shield. "I could use a spin attack," he considered, "but I would need to get between those two without one or both of them attacking me. Do you think you can distract them long enough for me to get closer?"

Colin nodded. "I think so," he replied. He moved forward slightly and began to lash out with his sword, careful not to actually aim for any of the vital areas on the monsters' bodies. Link, meanwhile, backed away so that the younger swordsman's shield would take the brunt of the creatures' blows. As soon as he could tell that the beasts were focused on Colin, he dashed around the boy and between the creatures. Without a moment's hesitation, he spun around, swinging his blade in a full circle so that it slashed heavily through the monsters' sides. The shadow beasts screeched and fell to the ground, never to revive again.

The villagers, who had been awakened and drawn out by the brawl, seemed to let out a collective breath at its end. Link watched in a kind of grim fascination as the remnants of the shadow beasts burst into dark fragments that flew into the air and re-formed the portal that they had been sent through. With a sigh, he turned to Colin. "You all right?" he asked.

Colin had by now placed his sword and shield down, having only stopped to grab the weapon without the sheath when he had seen the battle. His right arm cradled his injured and still-bleeding left arm, pressing on it to try and ease the blood flow. He gave the elder fighter a reassuring smile. "I'll be okay. I just need to clean and bandage my arm," he said.

Suddenly, Rusl and Uli rushed up to the duo. "Colin, Link, you two were wonderful out there!" Rusl exclaimed, beaming at his son. "Your swordsmanship has improved greatly, and you showed so much courage up against those monsters."

Link chuckled. He could tell that the man was really only addressing Colin, who had been training in the way of the sword for two years now. Everyone in Ordon, Rusl especially, knew that Link himself was already a master swordsman renowned for his unwavering courage. In fact, he often aided the boy's father in teaching him how to fight.

Uli, though clearly proud of her son as well, was a little more worried. "Honey, your arm is bleeding so badly!" she cried. "We should get it bandaged right away."

Colin smiled slightly. "Yeah, I guess that would be the best thing to do right now," he agreed. Giving one last look and a wave good-bye to Link, he grabbed his sword and shield and followed his parents back to their home.

Link silently watched the family go, then looked around the village. After thanking him and Colin for defeating the beasts, most of them went back inside to go to sleep. A few took nervous glances at the strange portal that still hovered in the sky, though it was now completely dormant, before leaving. Beth, who was still a bit shaken after having nearly been attacked unarmed, gazed for a little while at the portal and her two rescuers.

Ilia walked up to Link. "You seemed to know a few things about those… whatever they were," she stated. "Care to explain?"

Link gave a dry chuckle. "Those were Shadow Beasts – creatures sent here from another world. Back at the time when you and the kids were kidnapped and all those weird things were going on, I had to fight quite a few of them. They should have stopped coming after the one who was sending them was killed, so I have no idea why those three showed up tonight."

Ilia nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds like it's going to get ugly again soon," she considered. "Maybe I should take up swordfighting too…"

Link couldn't help but laugh. "I thought your heart lies with horses, not battling monsters!" he declared.

Ilia glared at him. "So? That doesn't mean I can't do something to protect myself and the village! _You're_ just a ranch hand, and look at you," she countered.

Link put up his hands in surrender and calmed down. "Sorry, you're right," he admitted. "It's just hard for me to picture you with a sword."

Ilia didn't respond, but after a moment she looked up and pointed at the portal. "Anyway, what does that thing do? It's not going to keep dropping Shadow Beasts into the village now, is it?"

Link shook his head. "No, not unless they've gained some new ability that I don't know about," he replied. "It's connected to any other portals that show up the same way, and people with special shadow powers can use them to kind of teleport things throughout Hyrule. But we shouldn't have to worry about that, because those people are from that other world I mentioned earlier, and they can't get to Hyrule – not anymore." If the tone of his voice hinted at his regret in the last statement, Illia didn't seem to notice it.

"Well, goodnight, then," the young woman stated. She turned and began to head home, leaving the swordsman to ponder over what had happened.

"This doesn't look good," Link muttered to himself as he gave a last long look at the black portal before finally heading off to bed. "This doesn't look good at all."

* * *

All right, now it's time for all of you to help me out with a part of this fanfiction. What do you think: Should Ilia take up swordfighting, or perhaps fighting with another weapon like a bow and arrows? Or does it just not fit her personality? Tell me what you think in your review, and I'll work her part in the story based on what most people want. See ya next chapter!


	3. An Old Sword

**Chapter Three: An Old Sword**

As tired as he was after the battle, Link couldn't get to sleep that night. Every time he closed his eyes, an image of the shadow beasts flashed in his mind, making him tense. Once or twice he did manage to doze off a little, only to find himself awake and alert at the slightest rustling in the nearby woods.

After many hours of this, he finally gave up and slipped out of bed. "It's no use," he muttered to himself. "I have to find out what's going on that would make the Shadow Beasts come back." He knew he would still need rest before embarking on a grand quest, but he also needed to rest assured that he was prepared for one.

After Ganondorf had been defeated and Midna had returned to the Twilight Realm, Link had gone back to the forest ruins that housed the Master Sword and returned the blade to its pedestal. He knew that this was the sword's rightful place, and that it should only be removed in times of great need. Times like the events of two years ago, when Zant had attempted to take over the world of light.

Most likely, the current threat involving the Shadow Beasts wasn't nearly as dire as back then. Really, if those creatures had been the only problem, it would have been no trouble for Link to use his Ordon sword against them, as he had earlier that night. But he was certain that those beasts weren't showing up on their own accord, and they could only be sent by someone in the Twilight Realm. He would need to enter that realm in order to stop whoever it was and whatever they were planning. For such a journey, he would require the light-infused powers of the Master Sword.

It didn't take long for Link to reach the gorge in Faron Woods. The golden cuccoo wasn't there anymore, of course, but he had come prepared.

_This had better work_, he thought as he took out his double clawshots. Raising the first, he took aim at the nearest tree and fired. As he had hoped, the claw buried into the soft bark and took a firm hold before dragging him up to the tree as well. He smiled a little. _Why didn't I do this last time?_

At that moment, the soft wood began to groan and crack under the young man's weight, threatening to give way. The smile disappeared. _Okay, that's why_. He hastily used the second clawshot to take him to the next tree, and then moved to the one after before that hold could crack. He continued to use this method until he reached the other side of the gorge, and soon dropped gently onto the forest floor.

The forest beyond here was thick and dark, but enough moonlight and starlight filtered through the trees for Link to see without a lantern. He put the clawshots away and swiftly ran along the paths of the wood. Thankfully, that strange forest creature* didn't seem to be in the mood to cause trouble – that, or it was asleep.

It took Link longer than usual to navigate the forest paths; he hadn't been in these woods since he last left the Master Sword. Eventually, however, he found himself back in the old ruins. At the center of the clearing sat a small pedestal. Standing within the pedestal was the sword; ancient, yet gleaming like new.

Silently, the Hero Chosen by the Gods stepped up to the pedestal and grasped the hilt of the sacred weapon. The blade gave off an unnatural glow at the touch of its destined bearer, and he drew it from its resting place with ease.

Link couldn't help but smile and chuckle slightly. The warm light of the Master Sword comforted him in a way, in the face of his dark mission. He slid the blade into an empty sheath he had strapped on to his back for the journey, and its glow dimmed as it went in. His treasure retrieved, he turned around and started off for home. _Maybe now I'll be able to rest at ease_, he thought with a small sigh.

* * * *

"Fado!" Link called out as he came up to the corral the next morning. "I need to ask you a favor. It's important!"

Fado turned toward his ranch-hand and instantly did a double-take. "What in – Why are you dressed like that?"

Although he had for now left his weapons and shield at home, Link had traded in his normal patchwork clothing for the green tunic set that the light spirits had bestowed upon him two years ago.

"Those Shadow Beasts that attacked the village last night won't be the last ones to come to Hyrule," he explained. "I have to go and find out what's sending them here. I need to be prepared for battle."

"…Shadow Beasts?" Fado muttered uneasily. Clearly this was the first time he had heard the name of the creatures.

Link nodded and continued. "And actually, that's also what I needed to ask you about. You said you were going to make a delivery to Castle Town in a few days. If I'm going to get anywhere with this mission, I'm going to need the help of Princess Zelda. I need to leave quickly; can we start for town today?"

Fado thought over this for a moment. "Hmm… I was hoping to wait a couple of days until we had a full load ready… But this sounds really important. Of course we'll go today." He started heading off for the stables. "Well, we'd better start getting ready so we can head off as soon as possible."

Link nodded again and began to follow his fellow ranch worker. Sure, he could have just taken Epona and gone on his own, but with the possibility of beasts roaming around he wasn't about to let Fado travel alone on a bulky wagon.

"Hey, hold on a minute!" a voice called out behind him. Link turned to see Colin rushing up toward the entrance of the corral, his sword and shield strapped on.

Link raised an eyebrow. "Colin? What are you doing here?"

Colin caught up to the elder swordsman, a determined gleam in his eye. "Can't you tell?" he replied. "I'm going with you."

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*By "strange forest creature", I am of course referring to the Skullkid who sent the puppet monsters after Link in the game. Since this story is in Link's point of view and he wouldn't know the name "Skullkid", I thought it best to keep it nameless.

Please leave a review! And don't forget to give your opinion on what I should do with Ilia if you haven't already!


	4. A New Partner?

I'm baaack! Heheh, sorry this chapter took so long to finish, it really should have been done a month or two ago *sweatdrop* Let's just say I was really busy for a while... Anyway, here's chapter four!  


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**Chapter Four: A New Partner?**

Link frowned and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Colin, but you can't come."

The young swordsman's excitement faltered, but only a little. "Why shouldn't I?" he challenged. "I helped you defeat the Shadow Beasts, didn't I?"

Link shook his head again. "This is going to be different. Worse. You're still in training, and you're too young for this kind of journey."

"I'm thirteen! That's about as old as the Great Hero was when he started his quest – maybe even older," Colin pointed out.

Link let out an exasperated sigh. The kid _did_ have a point, he had to admit. "Well, what about that?" he challenged, gesturing to Colin's bandaged left arm. The boy peered down at the bandage for a moment, then looked back up again.

"It's no big deal. I took a good healing potion last night, and my arm feels fine. My mom just bandaged it up to keep the cut from opening up again, that's all."

Link raked his fingers through his dirty-blonde hair. _Whatever happened to the shy, quiet little boy who let the grownups take care of the monsters?_ He wondered to himself. "I'm still not so sure this is a good idea," he said. "Shouldn't you at least stay here to protect the village if more beasts come to attack it?"

Colin grinned. "My dad already said that he can take care of that. He thinks you should have help with this quest of yours too."

At that moment, Fado joined the two at the front of the ranch gate. "Well, the wagon's ready to go into town," he announced, addressing Link. "You'd best get your gear and suit up Epona so we can get started." He noticed Colin and immediately greeted the youth. "I guess you're coming with us too?" he asked, eyeing the boy's gear.

Link practically growled in frustration, giving up. "Fine, you can come with us as far as Castle Town," he finally conceded. "But believe me when I say that you literally _can't_ follow me past that point. When Fado returns to the ranch, you'll have to go back with him – anyway, that way you can cover him in case there are any more beasts in Hyrule Field."

Colin nodded obediently and followed the head rancher into the stables to pick out a horse for the journey. If he was curious as to what Link meant about not being able to follow him farther than Castle Town, he didn't show it.

The elder swordsman swiftly departed for home to retrieve his own gear before returning and saddling up Epona. The Clydesdale was excited at the prospect of a trip, and readily allowed her owner to prepare her for the long ride. Soon, the two found themselves at the edge of the village, alongside the ranch wagon and Colin on his borrowed horse.

"Are we all set, boys?" Fado called out, looking back to his two guards. Both swordsmen nodded, so the ranch head turned to the front and urged his horses forward. "All right then – Castle Town, here we come!"

* * * * *

Link took a deep breath of the crisp midmorning air. As unknown and foreboding as the coming expedition was, at least it was relaxing to ride through the open expanse of Hyrule Field.

"How long does it take to get to town anyway?" Colin asked. He and Link rode on opposite sides of Fado's wagon, as the best way to shield it in case of attack.

"About a day's ride at a steady pace," Fado replied. "That's why we always head out in the morning – this way we can usually make it into town before nightfall."

Colin looked around the area. "It seems pretty peaceful right now," he commented.

"Yeah," Link agreed. "Whoever sent those Shadow Beasts hasn't really stirred up the regular beasts around here – not yet anyway." _Maybe I'm overreacting_, he thought to himself._ Maybe what happened last night was just a bizarre incident… But I'm not taking any chances._

* * * * *

The next few hours went by rather calmly. The three travelers rode at a steady pace and admired the scenery, talked among themselves, and occasionally met others traveling the same road.

"Looks like we're in luck today," Fado commented as everyone stopped for a quick supper. "No beasts have tried to mess with us yet, and the town's only another hour or so away."

Link nodded, taking a bite out of a bread roll. "Whatever's going on, it must not be affecting the animals around here at all," he added as he finished the roll.

Colin ate in silence, gazing in the direction of the town.

"You alright?" Link asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," the boy replied. "I'm just wondering… What _was_ it that happened two years ago?" He turned to look at the hero. "And why don't you ever tell us about it?"

Link thought for a moment. "It's complicated," he explained. "To tell the truth, I don't even understand the whole thing myself. But Zelda does – she's part of it too." He smiled slightly. "Why don't I tell you when we get to the castle? Then Zelda can help explain everything."

Colin nodded in agreement, excited that he would finally get to learn the story. The meal finished, he and Link vaulted onto their horses, and Fado clambered back onto the wagon.

"Well, boys," Fado barked enthusiastically, "This is the last stretch of the journey. Next stop: Castle Town!"


End file.
